The inventive concept relates to signal processing methods, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for tracking the signal of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). The inventive concept also relates to satellite signal receivers including such apparatuses and/or using such methods.
The GNSS is essentially a group of systems collectively capable of locating the position of a target object and then providing location information to a terrestrial receiving device regarding the target object using an array of satellites.
The GNSS includes the global positioning system (GPS) operated by the United States, the global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) operated by Russia, and the Galileo positioning system operated by the European Union. In order to operate efficiently the GNSS must acquire and track satellite signal(s). There are many difficulties associated with this process and numerous environmental and operating effects degrade the quality and receptivity of satellite signals. One of these degrading effects is called “multi-path.” Multi-path is signal transmission phenomenon in which two or more different (e.g., time or phase) versions of the same signal, having been propagated along different transmission paths, are commonly received by a receiver. Research is currently being conducted into ways of identifying and reducing the performance degrading effects of multi-path in the GNSS.